Method and apparatus for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatus



Dec. 30. 1969 A. w. JACKSON 3,486,366

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE TESTING AND REPAIR OF OXYGEN BREATHINGAPPARATUS Filed Dec. 25', 1968 /8 AIR COMPRESSOR k l .y. Y

INVENTOR. ALBERT w. JACKSON United States Patent 3,486,366 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR THE TEST- ING AND REPAIR OF OXYGEN BREATH- ING APPARATUSAlbert W. Jackson, P.O. Box 334, League City, Tex. 77573 Substituted forabandoned application Ser. No. 588,950, Oct. 24, 1966. This applicationDec. 23, 1968, Ser- Int. Cl. G01m 3/04 US. Cl. 7340 4 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for the testing and repair ofoxygen breathing apparatus having a reversible air compressor coupled toan oxygen breathing apparatus mounted on a manikin head, the head beingconstructed of a resilient material for effecting a hermetic sealbetween the oxygen breathing apparatus mask and the maniken head, theoxygen breathing apparatus being pressurized through the manikin headuntil a leak is discovered, at which time, the air compressor isreversed and a patching means such as fluid latex is applied to the leakeffecting a repair.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a re-filing of an applicationfor US. Letters Patent filed by Albert W. Jackson on Oct. 24, 1966, Ser.No. 588,950, for Method and Apparatus for the Testing and Repair ofOxygen Breathing Apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a methodand apparatus for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatus,and more particularly to a method and apparatus for the testing andrepair of oxygen breathing apparatus which does not require the mountingof the apparatus to a person for testing.

Oxygen breathing apparatus of the type forming a seal around theperiphery of a users face has in the past been tested by a personmounting the apparatus to his body and the apparatus inflated for thesearching of leaks by a second person. In an oxygen canister type ofapparatus this is not only proven cumbersome, but quite expensive, sincea canister must be utilized to inflate the apparatus for the testing.After a leak is discovered, the common practice was to apply a rubberpatch to the leak and retest the apparatus, which required theconsumption of another canister adding further to the expense of theoperation.

According to the invention, an air pressure system is provided forpressurizing the oxygen breathing apparatus mounted on a manikin headfor the determination of airrleaks without the necessity of a secondperson wearing the apparatus. If an air leak is located, the pressuresystem is reversed drawing a vacuum on the oxygen breathing apparatusthrough the manikin head at which time liquid or fluid latex is appliedaround the leak which seals the leak around the inside and outsidesurfaces of the oxygen breathing apparatus. This system obviates thenecessity of a second person in the testing phase and implements a fast,cheap and dependable repair facility much superior to the patch type ofrepair mentioned above. Another feature of the invention is theutilization of a resilient inflatable manikin head with -apressuresensitive valve coupling the air supply to the rescue breathingapparatus after the head is inflated to insure a tight seal between theface mask of the rescue breathing apparatus and the manikin head.

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An object of the present invention is the provision of a means andapparatus for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatusrequiring the employment of only one person.

Another object is to provide means and apparatus for the testing andrepair of oxygen breathing apparatus which does not require theutilization of an oxygen generating canister.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means andapparatus for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatus whichis simple and inexpensive to install and operate and requires a minimumof maintenance and adjustment.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing in which the sole figure is aschematic representation of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, air compressor 11 is coupled through outletline 12 and T-joint 13 to solenoid-actuated valves 14 and 16.Solenoid-actuated valve 16 is coupled to outlet line 17.Solenoid-actuated valve 14 is coupled through T-joint 18 and line 19 tofitting 21 in manikin head 22. Manikin head 22 has a two-way pressuresensitive check valve 23 which couples the inside of manikin head 22 tooxygen breathing apparatus mask 24 after sufficient pressure has builtup to inflate manikin head 22. T-joint 18 also couples line 19 tosolenoid actuated valve 26 which, in turn, is connected to T-joint 27 tointake line 28 of air compressor 11. Intake 31 is coupled throughsolenoid-actuated valve 29 and T-joint 27 to intake line 28 of aircompressor 11.

Incoming power lines 35 are coupled to switch arms 32 of double pole,double throw switch 40. Terminals 30 of double pole, double throw switch40 are coupled to solenoids 33, 34 and 36, and to contacts 37 ofsolenoid 33. The other side of contacts 37 are coupled to air compressor11. Solenoid 34 is magnetically coupled to actuate solenoid valve 14,and solenoid 36 is magnetically coupled to actuate solenoid valve 27.

Contacts 38 of double pole double throw switch 40- are connected acrosssolenoid windings 39, 41 and 42, and to contacts 43 of solenoid 39. Theother side of contacts 43 are connected to air compressor 11. Solenoid41 is magnetically coupled to actuate solenoid-actuated valve 16, andsolenoid 42 is magnetically coupled to actuate solenoid-actuated valve26.

OPERATION The test an oxygen breathing apparatus, the face mask is firstpositioned on manikin head 22 and switch 40 thrown to the left so thatswitch arms 32 make contact with terminals 30 of double pole, doublethrow switch 40. This energizes solenoid winding 33 closing contacts 37which, in turn, energizes air compressor 11. At the same time, solenoids34 and 36 are actuated opening solenoidactuated valves 14 and 29,respectively. In this position solenoids 39, 41 and 42 are de-energizedleaving contacts 43 in an open position and solenoid-actuated valves 16and 26 closed. This is the testing mode which will take air from intakeline 31 through valve 29, T-joint 27, intake line 28, to the intake ofair compressor 11. Air will then be forced out through exhaust 12 of aircompressor 11, T-joint 13, solenoid-actuated valve 14, T- joint 18 toline 19 and fitting 21 of manikin head 22. When the pressure has builtup to a predetermined point inflating resilient manikin head 22, airwill be passed through pressure sensitive valve 23 into the oxygenbreathing apparatus 24 pressurizing the apparatus itself. It is pointedout that air cannot pass through valves 16 and 26 since they are in aclosed position.

If the oxygen breathing apparatus has a leak it will readily appearsince air will be forced out through the leak reducing the pressure. Atthat point, the leak can be located and marked, utilizing standardbubble-testing techniques and double pole, double throw switch 40 thrownto the position on its right making contact between switch arms 32 andcontacts 38 of switch 40. This will de-energize solenoids 33, 34 and 36,opening contacts 37 of solenoid 33, and shutting valves 14 and 29 ofsolenoids 34 and 36, respectively. At the same time, solenoids 39, 41and 42 will be actuated closing contacts 43 of solenoid 39, againapplying power to air compressor 11. Solenoids 41 and 42 will opensolenoid-actuated valves 16 and 26, respectively, which will pull avacuum from manikin head 22 and face mask 24 down through fitting 21,line 19, T-joint 18, solenoid-actuated valve 26 and T-joint 29 to intakeline 28 of air compressor 11 through T-joint 33 and solenoid-actuatedvalve 17 to exhaust line 17. The air, of course, cannot escape throughsolenoidactuated valves 14 and 29 since they are now shut by thede-activation of their respective solenoids 34 and 36.

At this time a fluid latex can be placed around the leak in apparatuswhich will result in an automatic sealing of the leak and completerepair of the unit.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatuscomprising:

a hollow manikin head dimensioned for the fitting of rescue breathingapparatus thereto;

pressure applying means connected to the interior of said manikin headfor supplying pressure thereto;

coupling means for coupling the inside of said manikin head to saidoxygen breathing apparatus; and

evacuating means for evacuating the inside of said manikin head and saidoxygen breathing apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said manikin head is constructed of a resilient material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said coupling means comprises a pressure sensitive value.

4. A method for the testing and repair of oxygen breathing apparatuscomprising the steps of:

attaching the oxygen breathing apparatus to a manikin head;

pressurizing the manikin head and oxygen breathing apparatus todetermine if there is a leak in the oxygen breathing apparatus;

evacuating the manikin head and the oxygen breathing apparatus; and

applying a sealing fluid to any leak in said oxygen breathing apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,363,449 1/1968 Ulmann 73-40FOREIGN PATENTS 724,174 4/1932 France. 539,204 11/1931 Germany. 698,04510/ 1940 Germany.

LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner JEFFREY NOLTON, Assistant Examiner

